HISTORY: Stony Batter (named for the large boulders that litter the slopes) was built during the Second World War, part of a top-secret defensive shield against German and Japanese attack. Its big 9.2-inch (234mm) guns, capable of hurling 172kg high-explosive shells up to 32km, could have routed any naval invader. Although the guns were cut up for scrap in the 1960s, the huge gun-emplacements and extensive underground fort

remain, and are being restored by the Stony Batter Protection amp; Restoration Society. Two hundred men laboured in secret for two years to build the fort complex, using local stone to make the concrete. The walls are up to 3.7 metres thick (12 feet). Engineers of today are amazed by the workmanship and the innovative techniques that were developed. Click here for historical detail.